We were treated to a super presentation at our September meeting by Chris Bell from “Weatherquest”. Chris not only knew his subject “meteorology” exceptionally well his passion, too, came over loud and clear.
Chris was born and grew up in Houston, Texas. He told us that he aspired to be a “weatherman” from a very early age. He attended Louisiana State University to study meteorology and climatology. As part of this course he attended the University of East Anglia. This placement was to shape his future life as it was here he met a young lady who is now his wife. He returned to America to further his studying at Mississippi State University where he gained a Master’s degree in Operational and Broadcast Meteorology.
Chris and his wife then decided to return to England to build a life together and to raise a family. He joined a new and effective company “Weatherquest” in 2005. Weatherquest not only provide forecasts for media stations, they provide forecasts for farmers so that they know the right time for spraying crops, for utility companies, ports etc. enabling monitoring things as wind speed; even local councils employ them to decide if and when they need to grit our roads.
His hobby and it is a real passion is chasing storms. He travels to the eye of storms, cyclones and tornadoes to learn more about these phenomenon’s and to take photographs of the changing skies. Today he lives in rural Norfolk with his family and as as well as working for Weathquest he lectures part time in Meteorology at the UEA.
Margaret White